Many of the earliest distilleries in the United States were in New Amsterdam (New York City). Some turned out gin, others turned out an early form of whiskey from a variety of grains—corn, rye, wheat, oats.
The distilleries of New York City vanished long ago. In the late 1990s, I often visited the moth-balled Fernet Branca liqueur distillery. It was like stepping back in history—the factory just shut down some time in the 1970s (if I recall correctly). Tools remained scattered about, workmen’s coveralls hung in the lockers. It was surreal.
Anyhoo, it seems a small whiskey distillery is opening in Brooklyn, the Kings County Distillery. Reportedly, it will be making corn whiskey and Bourbon.